


Coming Out to the Ball Game

by TheLostWeasley



Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Baseball, Anal Sex, Coming Out, Enemies to Lovers, Homophobic Language, M/M, Oral Sex, Unsafe Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-01
Updated: 2020-03-14
Packaged: 2021-02-26 10:24:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 14,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22509895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLostWeasley/pseuds/TheLostWeasley
Summary: Bucky is the new stat hitter on the Hydras.Steve is a seasoned pitcher on the Avengers.Naturally, they start having sex.The baseball au that literally nobody asked for.
Relationships: Bruce Banner/Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Comments: 32
Kudos: 170





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I just wanted to say thank you to snarkymuch, for being my cheerleader and editing this hot mess! <3

It was the start of the new season, their first game against their rival, the Hydras, and so far, it had been going well. Steve had only let two batters get a hit, but he struck them out when they tried stealing second.

He felt good, despite the cold-ass March evening. Steve could see his breath in front of him. He hoped it was their season, finally beat the Hydras. How many rings and trophies did they need? Even if it wasn’t their season, though, Steve knew it was going to be a good one. He could feel it in his bones. Their team was strong and ready to put up a fight for a spot in the World Series. He hoped they went head to head in the playoffs, and he hoped his team won. Rub it in the Hydras’ stuck up noses. Maybe they’d finally take the bats out of their asses. 

It was the top of the second inning, two outs, and the Avengers were leading 2-1. 

Steve had just struck out Rumlow, who gave him the finger as he walked by the next batter who was warming up to go to the plate. 

Steve watched as James “Bucky” Barnes stepped up to the plate, wooden bat in hand, and a cocky grin on his lips. His stupid black and green uniform absorbing some of the harsh light of the stadium. 

Steve immediately wanted to punch him. 

This bastard had only been in the major leagues since the start of spring training. He was signed to the Hydras at the ripe age of 23, and naturally, he acted just like them, like they were hot shit. Just because he had a few lucky swings since starting, he thought he was the best thing to ever happen to baseball. 

He had never faced Steve, though. Steve was going to strike him out and give Barnes his finest “fuck you” look. 

Barnes gave a quick practice swing, lining up his bat with the mound. He straightened up, bent his knees and elbows just _ so _, raising his bat in a sign that he was ready. 

Steve made eye contact with his catcher, Tony. 

Tony winked at Steve. 

His curveball with an extra punch.

Steve gave him a slight nod in agreement. 

He rolled his shoulders, lined up his pitch, and threw the ball, flicking his wrist as the ball was leaving his hand.

Instead of watching the ball go into Tony’s waiting glove with a _ thwack _ , there was a loud _ crack _. Barnes dropped the bat behind him carelessly and took off running as the ball sailed right out of the stadium. 

Well, shit. 

Not many had gotten a hit off of Steve’s signature pitch, and even when they did, they never hit it right out of the park. 

He managed to look back just as Barnes was reaching home plate. 

He was quick too. 

Barnes gave Steve a wide, genuine grin, and then he _ fucking winked _ as he made his way to the dugout. 

Steve couldn’t deny that Barnes was good. 

Or that he was attractive. 

He still wanted to punch him. 

Avengers won 3-2


	2. Chapter 2

Steve was going to strike Barnes out if it was the last thing he did. 

He had been working on his pitches with Tony, trying to make them better, faster. He'd toyed with new pitches and worked on them late into the night. Fury even helped him, taking Tony’s place once he left. Fury was pleased. He wanted Steve to start trying them out at games. The entire team was thrilled too. 

This time they were on Hydras turf. Their stadium was gaudy. It was too flashy. Their name and logo were plastered everywhere in horrible font and color. The team itself acted even worse when they were home. The air they had about them made it seem like they were better than everyone else. 

Steve wanted to punch all of them. 

He stood at the mound, Tony behind home plate. 

Barnes was at home plate, ready to swing. 

It was the bottom of the eighth, no outs, and Hydras were leading 8-5. 

Usually, when they were on the road, Fury had Steve as his closing pitcher. Steve always got more fired up when they weren’t home, especially at Hydra Stadium. 

They could fuck themselves. 

Steve got into position, getting his arm ready for one of his new pitches. He threw the ball, just a little outside of Barnes’ reach. The ball hit Tony’s glove with the most satisfying  _ thwack _ he had heard in a long time.

Barnes didn’t swing. The kid was smart. 

He had a look of surprise and awe on his face at Steve’s new pitch. The corners of his mouth twitched so slightly, Steve wasn’t sure if he actually saw it or if he just imagined it. 

He watched Barnes get into his own position, ready for another pitch. Steve shifted his gaze to Tony, who wanted him to go with a curveball. He agreed and threw the ball. 

Swing and a miss, strike one for Barnes. 

Steve’s insides had started doing a happy dance. 

Barnes stepped aside, rolling his shoulders and did a few quick practice swings before stepping back up to the batter's box.

Steve and Tony agreed to a fastball. Steve threw the ball, and it hit Barnes’ bat with a  _ crack _ , the bat shattering in half, and the ball went into the crowd of Hydra fans who cheered as Barnes made his way around the bases. 

He winked at Steve again.

Son of a bitch. 

Hydras won 10-6

They were lined up outside the Avengers dugout with their hands held up for the nightly “good game” and job well done. The Hydras walked by steadily, hitting their palms against the Avengers’, echoes of “good game” following them down the line. 

Hammer looked straight ahead. Rumlow gave him a sneer. The less asshole-ish bunch genuinely meant what they were saying, like Sitwell and Erik Stevens. Barnes was last, his blue-gray gaze on Steve’s the whole time, until he got closer. Steve watched Barnes’ eyes roam over his body, his pink tongue poking out to lick his lips. Steve swallowed, unable to look away. 

_ Fuck _ . 

Barnes was hot. 

His stupid eyes, his stupid full lips, his stupid jawline and cheekbones, his well-toned body that looked terrible in that god awful uniform. 

He’d look much better in an Avengers uniform, the white and blue with red undertones would make his eyes pop even more. 

What the hell was he thinking? 

When Barnes reached him, his warm, rough palm lingered on Steve’s just  _ a little  _ bit longer than necessary. 

Barnes’ eyes roamed over him again, and in a smooth voice, he said, “Looking good, Rogers.” 

The asshole bit his lip and moved on to Clint, who was behind Steve. 

_ God _ , he wanted to punch him. 

Or fuck him into next week. 


	3. Chapter 3

It was the beginning of June. It was finally starting to get warmer, both during the day and at night, which meant they didn’t have to play in the chill of the night.

Steve was sitting in the dugout, his elbows resting on his knees, watching the game intensely. They were home at Infinity Park. He found himself being soothed by just being in the stadium, but tensions were high between them and the Hydras. They were all on edge. He felt it as soon as the series started. He knew it was going to be bad. 

The first game was delayed because of rain, putting a chill in the air. It made them all cold and miserable. None of them could get warm, no matter how much they were sweating or how much hot cider they drank. 

Their second game was full of bad calls by the umpires. More than half the game was spent with Fury and Pierce arguing with the umpires. The already long game turned into three extra innings because they couldn’t break the 3-3 tie. 

The third game was going well until Odinson’s pitch to Rumlow hit him in the shoulder. The Avengers, including Fury, swore Rumlow did it on purpose. The umps called it an accident, but they all saw Rumlow’s smirk. 

It was the bottom of the eighth of their fourth game before they had a few days off. 

Bruce had just stepped up to the plate, and Justin Hammer was on the mound. Steve could feel Tony fuming next to him. Tony  _ hated _ Hammer, and Steve couldn’t blame him. The guy was a jerk. He started fights wherever and whenever he could, on and off the field. Hammer spotted Tony on the street one day, said some nasty things, and then they were beating the shit out of each other. The police had to pull them apart. Hammer blamed Tony for starting it, but Tony said Hammer did. 

Hammer finally threw the ball after almost ten minutes of him fucking around and just standing on the mound. 

Bruce fouled, practiced a swing, and then waited another five minutes for Hammer to throw the ball. 

He watched as Hammer threw the ball right into Bruce’s hip. 

As soon as Bruce fell to the ground holding his side, Tony was rushing out of the dugout and towards Hammer. Fury was right behind him, but he was too late. Tony’s fist had already hit Hammer’s jaw. 

“ _ Fuck _ ,” Steve muttered under his breath and running after them. The rest of the team followed, and so did the Hydras. 

It was a full out brawl on and around the pitcher’s mound. Everyone was hitting everyone, even without meaning to. Steve was in the middle of it, getting hit and shoved with various fists, knees, and bodies. He had to get Tony off Hammer. Tony would beat the shit out of him for hitting Bruce. 

Tony would never admit it, but Steve saw the way he looked at Bruce.

Steve saw Fury trying to yank Tony away by his belt, while Pierce was attempting to get ahold of Hammer. They were so hell-bent on practically killing each other that they almost hit their managers in the process, although they didn’t notice. Fury wrestled to get Tony’s hands behind his back and drag him through the mass of players surrounding them. The umpires were trying and failing to break up everyone up. 

He changed his direction, pushing his way through the crowd to get to Bruce. Everyone was so focused on the fight in the middle of the diamond that he thought nobody would be checking on Bruce. 

He was an idiot. If he had just checked on Bruce first— 

He felt a sharp sting on his cheek, a fist quickly pulling away from his face. He turned his head, finding Sam crouched with wide eyes, Daren Cross next to him, shooting a confused look at Barnes, who was behind Sam with an expression of horror. 

“Shit,” Steve heard Barnes muttered.

Sam stood up, turning to face Barnes. Steve saw him beginning to bring his arm back like he was about to hit Barnes for hitting Steve. 

Steve rushed towards Sam, gripping his bicep to stop him from throwing a punch that would make the situation worse. Sam looked back at Steve, confused. 

Something told him Barnes didn’t mean to hit him.

Steve shook his head. “Just walk away, Wilson.” 

He saw Pietro not far from them, about to beat the shit out of Sitwell. 

“Get Maximoff out of here,” he told Sam. He nodded and went to stop Pietro. 

Steve turned to find Bruce, making sure to avoid eye contact with Barnes. He made his way back through the flying fists and shoving bodies. 

He let out a sigh of relief when he finally got out of the claustrophobic mess but groaned to himself when he found Bruce. 

He was on someone’s back yelling curse words and insults at whoever was around him that wasn’t an Avenger, while thoroughly beating the man under him. 

They were all going to get their asses reamed by Fury. 

****

The fight lasted fifteen minutes. It took another ten minutes for the umpires to decide who was at fault. Hammer was ejected from the game for purposely hitting Bruce, and Tony was ejected for attacking Hammer. Bruce left the game with a bruised hip.

The game was over quickly after that. 

The Avengers won 3-2, but it wasn’t a victory. 

They were all quiet when they got to the locker room. No one spoke as they showered, changed, and gathered their things to leave. They knew their behavior wasn’t professional. Fury told them they acted like animals, and if they did it again, he’d suspend all of them. He couldn’t actually do that, but knowing Fury, he would find a way. He knew the owner, Pepper, would help him do it, too. 

Steve said goodnight to Bruce and Tony, and then he was alone in the locker room. 

He was beyond glad that their series against the Hydras was over for the time being. They weren’t scheduled to play them again for another three and a half weeks. Their games didn’t always end in disaster. There was always tension, but never to the point of a full-blown fight. 

Steve rolled his shoulders, hoping to release some of the tension, but it didn’t work. His hands balled into fists. He needed to hit something. Steve grabbed a bat and a glove from his locker. He might as well get in some batting and pitching practice. If he went home, it's not like he would sleep anyway. 

Just as he was about the leave the locker room, Barnes walked in. He was in jeans and a t-shirt, duffle bag in hand with a stupid Hydra hat on his head. Part of Steve’s brain didn’t understand why Barnes was there, and the other part of him didn’t care. Steve was done with whatever the hell was going on between them. There was enough tension on the field. He just wanted to kiss Barnes, fuck him, consequences be damned.

Steve walked towards him, the bat falling to the floor with a clatter and the glove with a soft thump. 

He knocked the stupid hat from Barnes’ head, grabbed his waist, and tugged Barnes against him. He could feel Barnes’ hot breath on his jaw.

They stared at each other for a moment.

“This OK?” Steve asked, his eyes darting to Barnes’ lips. 

Barnes took Steve’s jacket in his fists, yanking him down and capturing his lips in answer. 

Their kiss was rough, their teeth clacked, and their tongues twisted together in a fight for dominance, trying to push into each other’s mouths. 

_ Fuck _ , he loved the scratch of Barnes’ stubble against his lips.

Steve walked Barnes’ back into the wall. He tangled his fingers in Barnes’ surprisingly soft hair, and strong legs clamped around his waist like a vice. Barnes was solid and hard against him, grinding his hips on Steve’s. Steve ground down against Barnes in response. It earned him a deep groan from Barnes and sent a shiver up Steve’s spine. 

It made him kiss Barnes harder, his tongue winning the fight and exploring his mouth thoroughly, making sure to get every corner. He moved his hips against Barnes, harder this time. 

Barnes pulled away with a gasp. “ _ Shit _ .” 

“You got lube?” Steve panted. 

Barnes scoffed. “What? Boy Scout like you doesn’t have any?”

Unfortunately, Barnes untangled himself from Steve and reached into his back pocket, pulling out his wallet. He opened it and handed Steve a small packet of lube. 

“Need a condom, too?” 

Steve rolled his eyes, “No. I have one.” 

“But you don’t have lube? You should hand your gay card back in.” 

Steve was getting annoyed. “Just shut up and turn around.” 

Barnes undid his buckle and dropped his pants, but turned around and put his hands on the wall. “Are you always this bossy?”

Steve rested his head on Barnes’ shoulder for a moment. 

Lord, help him. 

_ Shit _ . Barnes had a nice ass. 

He ripped open the lube packet, spread some on his fingers, and gently but quickly started to open Barnes up. He worked a finger in and out a few times before he added another one. Steve spread his fingers, opening and closing them inside of Barnes, making sure to avoid his prostate. 

The most beautiful noises were falling from Barnes’ mouth, his hips working back on Steve’s fingers. Steve could listen to him forever and never get tired of hearing him moan. 

“Hurry up and get your cock in me, Rogers.” Barnes’ groaned out.

“Are you always this impatient?” Steve asked, removing his fingers and undoing his pants. He slicked up his dick with the rest of the lube.

“How about  _ you _ shut up and—” He broke off with a groan as Steve started pushing into him. “ _ Oh, fuck _ .”

Steve had to agree with him. Barnes felt good, too good. He fit against Steve like he was meant to be there. 

He moaned as he bottomed out, sucking in a breath and reaching for Barnes’ hand on the wall. 

Barnes started thrusting his hips back, causing Steve to gasp and move his free hand to Barnes’ hip. 

“Fucking move,  _ please _ ,” Barnes whimpered. 

Steve couldn’t say no to that. He moved his hips in short and quick thrusts. 

He didn’t get the noises he wanted out of Barnes, so he changed his angle and made his thrusts deeper and longer, pulling gasps and moans from Barnes. He moved his free hand over the one Steve had on his hip, gripping his hand. Barnes’ head fell back on Steve’s shoulder, exposing his long neck. Steve kissed and nipped at Barnes’ taught neck, half panting in his ear. 

He felt Barnes go stiff against him, and then he let out a loud moan with Steve’s name on his lips, and that set Steve off, groaning in Barnes’ ear and spilling himself into the body in front of him.

They both stood there for a moment, catching their breath. Their hands were still entwined, and Steve was still plastered to James’ back, could feel his back rising and falling with his harsh breathing. He was warm against Steve’s chest. Steve didn’t want to let James go, but he looked around him, seeing his teammates lockers staring back at him. 

He pulled out of Barnes, taking his hands off of him, and stepping back to pull up his pants. He grabbed Barnes’ wallet off the floor. Steve handed it to him after Barnes fixed up his own pants. 

Barnes gave him a curious look. “Forget the condom?” 

Well, shit. 

Steve shrugged. “You did beg me to hurry up.” Then he had a mini panic. “Wait, are you— because I—I’m good.” 

Barnes gave him an amused smile. “Relax, Rogers. I’m good.”

He suddenly felt awkward. Steve didn’t know what to do or what to say. He grabbed the bat and glove he dropped on the floor to put back in his locker. He needed to go home and shower again. He’d showered after the game, but now he was sticky with sweat, lube, and come. 

“Hey, Rogers,” Barnes said.

He looked at Barnes, who had his duffle bag in hand. 

A smirk formed on his lips. “Bring lube next time. Or let me suck your dick.” 

Then he left. Steve’s eyes glued to his ass. 

Fuck, he wanted that. 

He wanted to do a lot of things with Barnes. 

Steve shook his head. He couldn’t go there again with Barnes, but fuck, did he want to. He knew they would do it again, though. It felt too good, too right. 

He locked up the locker room and headed out to his car, his phone ringing as soon as he stepped outside. 

A photo of his mom popping up on his screen. 

“Hey, mom,” he answered. 

“Are you OK?!” Her voice a little urgent. 

He sighed. “I thought you and Phil were going out tonight.” 

Phil Coulson was the Avengers' previous manager before he retired, and Fury took his place. Phil and his mom had hit it off. Steve was happy for them. Phil was practically like a father to him anyway. 

Phil was the first person in the league who he came out to. He had only been on the team for a few months. There was a homophobe on the street before he walked into the stadium one day, who said some awful things to a couple holding hands. Steve wanted to do more than say “shut up” angrily from under his cap. He was mad at himself for being gay and not being able to stick up for anyone else or himself. He was so frustrated he stupidly punched the concrete wall in the locker room. He was lucky he didn’t break anything.

_ “You good, Rogers?”  _

_ Steve jumped, turning to face the sound of the voice. “Um, yeah, I’m good. Just a rough morning.”  _

_ Phil was standing there, eyebrows pinched in concern. “Steve, you’re crying.”  _

_ He reached his hands up, hastily wiping away the wet on his face. He swallowed thickly, feeling panic swelling in his chest. He sunk to the floor, more hot tears spilling down his cheeks. He felt Phil’s warm body sit next to him and put an arm around his shoulders.  _

_ He had to tell Phil. He had to tell  _ anyone _ , someone who wasn’t his mom.  _

_ He choked out a wet, “I’m gay.”  _

_ Phil only asked, “Do you want to come out?”  _

_ He did. He  _ really  _ did.  _

_ He was terrified, though.  _

_ Nobody else in the league was out.  _

_ Steve would be the first. _

_ “I can do that?”  _

_ Phil looked at him like his heart was breaking for him. “Yeah, Steve. This team, this organization, is a family. We just want you to be yourself and be happy.”  _

Phil was with him when he came out to Pepper, when he came out to the team, and when he came out to the public. 

Anytime Steve was terrified or told himself it would just be better if he stayed in the closet, Phil talked him out of it. He encouraged him to come out, and it was the best relief he’d ever felt. He didn’t have to hide. He could be himself, go to Pride Parades, go to clubs, and donate wherever he wanted. 

Steve was the first in the major leagues to come out. 

So far, three others had followed him. 

“The game was on in the restaurant.” She started giving Steve her, ‘I’m worried, don’t fuck with me’ tone. 

“I got hit, but it was an accident. The only people in serious trouble are Hammer and Tony.” Steve explained as he got in his car. 

“Who hit you?” he heard Phil say, his voice defensive. 

“Hey, Phil, nice to hear from you, too.” 

“ _ Steven _ .” his mom said. 

He sighed again. “It was Barnes. He didn’t mean it.”

“What do you mean?” Phil asked. 

Steve knew Phil would look into it and pull whatever strings he had. 

“He was aiming for someone else. Someone on his team, I think. I don’t know why,” Steve told him honestly. 

“You alright, son?” Phil asked, genuine concern in his voice. 

“Yeah, I’m good. Promise. Just a bruise.” 

“Alright,” his voice went low, “I’ll try to convince your mother of that.” 

Steve laughed. “Good luck.” 

He hung up the phone and drove home, alone. 


	4. Chapter 4

Steve was in the bathroom at Hydra Stadium, his back against the cool stall door and his dick down Barnes’ throat. 

James had his hands on Steve’s hips, pinning him to the door. Steve had one hand in Barnes’ jaw, feeling his mouth working over his cock, and his other hand was buried in James’ soft short hair. It was just long enough for Steve to tug on, and every time he did, he got a groan from James that gave the best vibrations on his dick. 

James had the best mouth, and Steve’s brain made sure he knew it. 

“ _ Fuck _ , your mouth in  _ incredible _ ,” Steve kept babbling, but he couldn’t help himself. 

It felt  _ so good _ . He never wanted it to stop. It was inevitable, though. His toes were curling in his shoes, his mouth wouldn’t shut up, and he couldn’t stop the moans that were mixed in. The heat in his belly was coming to its peak, and a clever curl of James’ tongue had him coming down his throat with a moan.

He grabbed Barnes by the bicep to pull him up. “C’mere,” he mumbled, his breath still short. 

Steve yanked him into a rough kiss, tasting himself on James’ tongue. He unbuckled James’ pants, his hand immediately getting a grip on his hard cock and moving his fist up and down, while his tongue tried to memorize James’ mouth. 

James came in Steve’s hand, his groan silenced by their kiss. They slumped against each other, their kiss slowly turning lazy until they eventually stopped kissing. 

“Well, fuck, Barnes,” Steve breathed out, running his clean hand through his hair. 

“If we’re going to keep doing this, you should really call me Bucky. It’s going to be weird if you moan ‘Barnes’ in the middle of sex,” Bucky panted. 

“Where the hell did that nickname come from?” 

Bucky chuckled. “Parents who gave me a shitty middle name and a younger sister who couldn’t pronounce James.”

“Aw, cute. What a nice big brother,” Steve cooed. 

Bucky shoved him with a grin on his lips. “Shut up, punk.”

“ _ Punk? _ You jerk,” Steve said, playfully shoving him back. 

“Really? Jerk is the best you could come up with?” Bucky asked with an unimpressed look.

Steve’s eyebrows shot up. “And  _ punk _ was the best you could do?” 

Bucky raised his hands in surrender. “Alright, alright, we both suck at name-calling. Banner, on the other hand, is one wordy motherfucker.”

Steve laughed. “You should be in the same room with him and Stark. Most entertaining shit you’ll ever see.” 

“Guess we’ll just have to learn from them.” 

“Gotta learn from the best.” 

Bucky nodded and paused for a moment in thought. “You hungry?”

“I could eat.” 

They cleaned themselves up in the sink and tugged their clothes back on. They grabbed their bags, Steve slinging his over his shoulder. He pulled on a plain blue baseball cap. He didn’t want to get recognized in the middle of a city that wasn’t his, especially with someone from another team.

They walked to a pizza restaurant five minutes from Hydra Stadium. They kept their heads down, hoping and praying to every God and Goddess in the universe that they wouldn’t be noticed. They found a corner to sit in and ordered their pizza, just a simple cheese and pepperoni. 

Their food came quickly, and they mostly ate in silence, except for the occasional comment on the players of their teams and how they played.

“So,” Steve started, nervous about asking what he wanted to ask. He didn’t know what he wanted. “Is this a date?” 

Bucky’s eyebrows shot up, and his mouth fell open. “Um, I—I don’t know. Do you want it to be?” 

Steve rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t know.” He gave Bucky a sheepish smile. 

They had been fooling around for a month, only seeing each other every couple of weeks. They mostly just had sex in the locker rooms or in their cars, sometimes the occasional bathroom.

Steve only knew that he enjoyed whatever it was that they were doing. He knew he liked Bucky as a person. He knew he wanted to spend more time with him or as much time as he could get.

He was totally alright with wherever this was going, but deep down, he knew he wanted more.

“I like whatever this is,” Bucky said, motioning between them. 

Steve smiled. “Me, too.” 

“I guess we’re going to be those people who don’t label their relationship.”

“Yeah, it totally won’t make things confusing or complicated later,” Steve agreed, waving his hand carelessly. 

“At least we’re on the same page.”

Steve was about to put some money on the table, but Bucky refused to let him pay for anything. 

“My city, my bill. You can take me out next time we’re in your city.” 

Steve smirked. “So, this is a date?” 

Bucky only grinned at him and winked, standing up and holding his hand out for Steve. He took his hand, letting Bucky lead him out of the restaurant. Once they were outside, Steve was dragged close to the building, where it was a little darker. Bucky grabbed his shirt, looked around them quickly, and pulled him for a brief kiss, pushing him away before their lips completely parted. 

“Walk me back to my hotel,” he told Bucky, not ready to say goodnight to him. 

Bucky grinned. “Absolutely.” 

They talked about everything and nothing on the way to the hotel, walking so close to each other that their hands kept brushing together. They kept grinning at each other like idiots, blush on their cheeks despite the warm, humid air around them. 

“Well, I guess I’ll see you in a few weeks, then?” Bucky said when they got to the hotel. His hands were stuffed in his pockets, and he rocked on his heels. 

Steve tilted his head towards the hotel. “Or you could come up.” 

Bucky bit his lip, unsure. “What about your roommate?” 

“Can always get our own room,” Steve suggested. 

Bucky grinned. “Yeah, alright.” 

“Great,” Steve said, leaning in close to Bucky’s ear, “because I really want you to fuck me.” 

He walked into the hotel, his phone in hand, to text Tony.  _ ‘You in the room?’  _ He heard Bucky catch up to him, following next to him closely. 

Tony’s reply came quickly.  _ ‘In Bruce’s room for the night. GET IT, ROGERS.’  _

His phone buzzed again.  _ ‘But like be safe.’  _

_ ‘You, too.’ _ Steve sent with a kissy face. 

_ ‘Shut up, you know nothing, Jon Snow.’  _

Steve just grinned and put his phone in his pocket. 

“The room is ours,” Steve said, stepping into the elevator and hitting the button for his floor. 

Bucky looked a little impressed. “How’d you manage that?” 

Steve smirked. “We’re not the only ones with a secret.” 


	5. Chapter 5

The night was warm, humid, and the ground wet with rain. It down poured in the middle of the game, causing a twenty-minute delay. It was a close game. The Hydra led by four points. Then Scott got a hit off of Erik Stevens. He tried stealing second base while Tony was at bat, but Stevens was on to him, so he stayed put on first until Tony got a hit. 

Bruce went next and hit a home run. When they all finished their run around the diamond, Tony gave everyone an enthusiastic high five and moved in to give Bruce a hug but stepped back and gave him a high five instead. 

They tied the game when T’Challa hit a home run. 

They were in the ninth inning with two outs. Hammer was getting cocky, judging by the grin on his face. Tony was up at bat again, anger and determination on his face. Tony would never forgive Hammer for going after Bruce. 

Tony twisted the bat in his hands, gripping it roughly.

Hammer finally threw the ball, and Tony sent it out of the park with a  _ crack _ . The grin slipped off Hammer's face, and Tony ran around the bases with his hands in the air. When he got back to the dugout, everyone high fived him, and Bruce pulled him into a tight hug. 

The Avengers won 5-4.

Steve was leaning against his motorcycle, waiting for Bucky. He was scrolling through his Twitter feed, retweeting and liking various posts. Some of it was politics, some Broadway stuff, and the rest were photos or videos of animals. It was 85 percent of his feed, actually. 

He looked up when he heard footsteps coming towards him. Bucky had his bag slung over his shoulder, his hands were shoved in his pockets, and his Hydras cap was nowhere in sight. The closer Bucky got, Steve could see the tension in his body. 

Bucky stopped in front of him. “You have a motorcycle?” He sounded a little impressed. 

Steve grinned, grabbing his extra helmet and handing it to Bucky. He got on his bike, pulling his own helmet over his head. Bucky was still standing there. 

“You getting on?” Steve asked, patting the spot behind him. 

Bucky held up his duffle. “What am I supposed to do with this?” 

“Wear it like a satchel.” 

Steve had left his bag in his locker. They had home games for the next week and a half, so he'd left it at the park. 

Bucky shoved his helmet on and settled in behind Steve. Bucky wrapped his arms around Steve’s middle, pressing his front to Steve’s back. He felt Bucky relax into him. Steve started his motorcycle and took off from the parking lot, Bucky a comfortable weight behind him as he drove them through the city. 

He wanted to keep driving just so he could keep Bucky where he was, but fifteen minutes later, he was driving up to his apartment. Steve cut the engine and put down the kickstand. He let Bucky get off first. Then he followed and led Bucky upstairs. 

They dropped their helmets by the door and toed off their shoes. Bucky dropped his bag next to the couch. 

It was only Bucky’s second time at his apartment. The first time they hadn’t even made it to the bedroom before they were all over each other. They hadn’t even made it to the couch. They'd had sex right against the door. Loudly. One of his neighbors called the police. The officers had been surprised when Steve opened the door. He told them he hadn’t realized how loud his television was and apologized, while Bucky hid in the kitchen. Steve signed some baseballs for them, and they’d gone on their way. 

Steve stepped forward, placing his hands on Bucky’s hips and tugging him closer. He leaned in to kiss him. He kept it light, gentle, making sure to let Bucky know he wasn’t looking for sex. He could tell Bucky was off. Steve was used to his easy smile and sparkling eyes, but he was tense and quiet, his eyes far away. 

Steve broke the kiss, reaching up to swipe his thumb against Bucky’s jaw. “What’s got you so stuck in your head?” 

Bucky shrugged, dropping his gaze. “Just a rough night.” 

“You played great tonight. You got three of those points,” Steve said, proud of Bucky’s accomplishments. 

Bucky just shrugged again, still looking at his feet. 

Steve tilted his chin up, placing a kiss on his lips. “Hey,” Steve said gently, “what do you need?” 

“Can we eat and just go to bed?” Bucky said quietly, his eyes finally meeting Steve’s. His eyes looked tired and sad like he longed for something that he had given up fighting for. 

He led Bucky to the kitchen, where he sat at the island. Steve grabbed some leftover lemon chicken and pasta that he made the night before. He left it in the container and put it in the microwave to heat up. He grabbed two forks and two glasses of water, placing them on the counter. He took the container out of the microwave and sat next to Bucky. 

They ate out of the container in silence, except when Bucky spoke up. 

“You played great, too, by the way.” A hint of a smile on his lips. 

Steve grinned. “Thanks.” 

They finished eating quickly and headed for Steve’s room. He gave Bucky a t-shirt to wear. They both changed and got into bed, lying on opposite sides. 

“Hold me?” Bucky whispered, turning on his side as an invitation with his back facing Steve.

“Absolutely,” Steve turned, too, moving so his chest was plastered against Bucky’s back and curling around him every part of them was touching. Bucky’s hand found his and held on tightly. 

Steve kissed his neck, his jaw, and his cheek. “Night, Buck.” 

Bucky squeezed his hand. “Night, Stevie.” 

Warmth flooded his chest, making it hard to breathe. He had to bite his lip to stop something stupid from spilling out of his mouth. It was too soon.

*****

When Steve woke up, his limbs were tangled with Bucky’s. He didn’t want to get up. He was warm and comfortable, but he also wanted to go for a run. If they didn’t have a game that night, he would skip the run and stay in bed all day. 

Bucky stirred in his arms. “I can hear you thinking.” His voice was thick with sleep. 

Steve sighed, burying his nose in Bucky’s neck. “I don’t want to get out of bed.” 

“But?” 

“I want to go for a run.” 

Bucky hummed. “I could go for a run.”

Steve nodded. “Alright, then.” 

They both got out of bed. They did what they had to in the bathroom. Steve gave him a spare toothbrush, and they playfully poked each other in the side, both of them flinching away. They went back to Steve’s room, where he gave Bucky some running clothes. 

They had finished lacing up their shoes when Bucky asked for a hat. 

“What  _ did _ you do with your cap?” Steve asked. 

Bucky rubbed the back of his neck and mumbled. “I  _ may  _ have thrown it in the garbage.” 

Steve felt a smile spread across his lips, “I’m sorry, you  _ what _ ?”

Bucky narrowed his eyes at him. “Shut up.” 

Still grinning, Steve grabbed one of Avengers' caps and firmly placed it on Bucky’s head. 

_ Fuck _ , he looked good. He wanted to see Bucky in an Avengers’ uniform, watch him play on their team. Give him a high five or a hug after a home run. He wanted to be proud of him on their team. 

And he kind of wanted to fuck him in the Avengers’ uniform, too. Right in the dugout. Or home plate. Maybe the pitcher’s mound. 

“You going to keep staring at me, or are we going to go?” Bucky asked, motioning to the door. 

“Right.” Steve opened the door, letting Bucky go ahead of him and then followed him out, closing the door behind him. 

They ran to the park not far from Steve’s apartment and did numerous laps around the pond. At one point, they started racing each other, getting looks from some people sitting on the benches. Some of their fellow runners cheered them on. Bucky won the first time, and then Steve won the next two. Steve got a high-five from a random woman in an Avengers’ cap when he did a small lap of victory around Bucky. 

“Come on, designated hitter, you’re supposed to be quick,” Steve panted. 

Bucky patted Steve’s bicep. “Race you home.” 

Then he took off running. Steve followed him, laughing breathlessly. They ran back the way they came, Bucky ahead of him  _ almost _ in arms reach. Every time Steve got close to him, Bucky seemed to run faster. 

He watched Bucky race into his building and up the stairs. He only paused when he couldn’t get the door to Steve’s apartment, turning to face Steve and his back against the door. His chest was heaving, and his shirt was soaked with sweat. 

Steve went up to him, pressing their rapidly rising chests together. “You let me win.” 

Bucky smirked. “What if I did? What are you going to do about it, Rogers?” 

He bent down, his hands wrapping around Bucky’s thighs and hoisting him up. Bucky’s legs circled his hips, while Steve unlocked the door and carried Bucky through the threshold, kicking the door closed with his foot. 

Steve walked them to the bathroom and straight into the shower. He shoved Bucky against the wall and turned on the water. Bucky jumped in his arms when the cold water hit them. Steve quickly adjusted the knob, so the water was warm. 

“You couldn’t just take us to bed? Had to go all caveman on me?” Bucky said, tugging on Steve’s wet shirt. 

Steve pulled it over his head. “I didn’t want the sheets to get dirty, and I think you like the beard.” 

“Ugh, I  _ really  _ do,” Bucky grumbled and surged forward to capture Steve’s lips.

They kissed hard and fast, removing their heavy, water-soaked clothes and tossing them carelessly to the shower floor. 

*****

After their shower, they changed into clean clothes and settled in the kitchen for an early lunch. They cooked chicken burritos together, tossing the occasional handfuls of shredded lettuce and cheese at each other. 

Steve grabbed Bucky by the waist, pulling him close to his chest, both of them shaking with laughter. They held each other close, their giggling slowly tapering off. 

Bucky looked at him, a hint of a smile on his lips, and his eyes soft. “Hey, thank you. For last night and today.” He craned his neck and kissed Steve sweetly. 

Steve kissed him back. “Anytime.” He moved them, trapping Bucky between him and the counter. 

Bucky slid to the floor and stood up feet away from Steve. “No, no. We are not having sex all day. We have shit to do later.” 

Steve nodded. “You’re right. The Avengers do have some ass-kicking to do later.” 

Bucky smirked. “Actually, I think we’re gonna win tonight. Or at least, I’ll hit three homers. Maybe more if you’re pitching.” 

“Alright, you know what,” Steve walked up to him, grabbed him by the waist and tossed him over his shoulder, carrying him back to the bedroom. 

They forgot about the burritos. The smoke alarm went off, but thankfully, it was just smoke and not an actual fire. 

They ended up going to a sub shop for lunch.

Then they went back to Steve’s apartment and had sex all afternoon until they had to leave for the stadium. 

Steve’s body was relaxed and a little sore, but it didn’t affect his game. Bucky only got one home run off of him and two more off of Odinson. 


	6. Chapter 6

They burst through the door, stumbling and tripping over each other and their own feet, unwilling to separate their lips. Their tongues were deep in each other’s mouths and their breath short. 

Steve turned them around, Bucky’s back hitting the door with a dull thud. He tossed his keys to the table next to the door to free his hands, but they fell to the floor with a clatter. He’d get them later. He toed his shoes off, too, kicking them aside and not caring where they landed. He felt Bucky shifting his legs, and then he heard something loudly fall to the floor. 

“Shit, I’ll replace it,” Bucky mumbled against his lips. 

Steve aligned their hips, rocking them against Bucky’s, who broke their kiss with the most beautiful moan.

“Not worried about it,” he panted, nipping and then licking Bucky’s lips. 

He mouthed at Bucky’s jaw, making sure to get his mouth on every inch before moving down to his neck. He wanted to leave a mark on Bucky’s neck, but he resisted. It was bad enough Bucky sometimes has bruises on his hips. 

Steve’s lips reached the collar of Bucky’s shirt. He pushed it up and pulled it over his head. He tossed it aside and continued kissing down Bucky’s chest, stopping at one of his nipples. Bucky gasped. Steve sucked and nipped at it until it pebbled in his mouth. 

Steve got down on his knees, kissing down Bucky’s torso until he reached the top of his jeans. He looked up at Bucky through his eyelashes and smirked, keeping eye contact as he undid Bucky’s pants and yanked them down. He swallowed Bucky’s cock down his throat. 

“ _ Fuck! _ ” Bucky groaned, his fingers tangling in Steve’s hair. 

His tongue wrapped around Bucky’s dick as much as he could, moving his lips over the hard flesh, sucking him down his throat as much as he could. 

The more Bucky gasped and groaned, the harder Steve worked his mouth over his cock. The noises coming from Bucky weren’t as loud as Steve knew they could be. Bucky was holding back, his moans and his hips. 

Steve pulled off his dick. “Worried about someone calling the cops?” 

“Maybe,” Bucky panted, his cheeks a delicious shade of pink and his pupils blown wide. 

Steve licked his lips, tasting Bucky on them. “Why don’t you fuck my mouth, Barnes?” 

Bucky groaned, his head falling back against the door. “Shit.” His eyes were still on Steve.

Steve sat back on his legs. “C’mon, Buck, I need you to.” He bit his lip, palming his own hard dick through his tight jeans. 

Bucky’s mouth fell open slightly. “Fuck, you’re beautiful.” 

Bucky finally got his ass moving, gripping the back of Steve’s neck and guiding his mouth back. Steve licked his lips again, a slight smile on his lips. 

“You’re such a little shit,” Bucky groaned, as Steve swallowed him down. 

Steve grabbed his hips, pulling him forward to encourage him. 

Just as he felt Bucky move his hips back, there was a deafening knock on the door. 

They both froze. 

The knock came again. 

Steve pulled his mouth off of Bucky. He swallowed and cleared his throat. 

“Who is it?” he called out, his voice a little rough. 

“Your parents. Did you forget again?” his mom said through the door. 

“ _ Shit! _ ” Steve hissed, standing up quickly. His heart racing for an entirely different reason. “Um, just give me a second!” he called through the door. 

“You have to go,” Steve said to Bucky. 

“ _ How _ ? I can’t exactly leave through the front door!” Bucky half-whispered. 

“Right. I’m sorry.” He ran a hand through his already messy hair. “Hide in my room? Please?” 

Bucky nodded. “Yeah. You better bring me food, though.” He pulled up his pants but didn’t buckle them.

Steve grinned and gave him a peck on the lips. “Thank you.” 

He watched as Bucky walked into his room, his pants barely hanging on his hips and his shirt in his hand. 

_ Fuck _ , he wanted to follow him.

Steve took a deep breath and opened the door, his mom and Phil standing there. 

“Sorry, I was about to go in the shower.” He gave them an apologetic smile. 

“You’re fine, dear. You need to stop forgetting when we plan dinner,” she scolded. 

“I know. It was just a long weekend,” Steve explained as his mom made her way into his kitchen.

“How mad was Fury about the tied series?” Phil had a smirk on his lips. He enjoyed it way too much when Fury was annoyed. 

The Avengers and Hydras tied their four game series, leaving them both in first for their league. Bucky was ecstatic that they had tied, so excited that he practically attacked Steve as they walked into his building. 

“We didn’t get yelled at, but he definitely wanted to. Maybe he fought Pierce in the parking lot,” Steve suggested. 

Phil laughed. “Wouldn’t be the first time.” 

Steve felt his eyebrows shoot up. “Seriously?” 

He watched Phil’s eyes zero in on something over his shoulder. “Is there a reason why there’s a shoe on your coffee table?” 

Steve whipped his head around, seeing Bucky’s red converse in the middle of his coffee table, and the remote was on the floor. They must have heard the thump of Bucky’s shoe and the tumble of the remote. 

“Um, decoration?” he said stupidly. 

Phil had a shit-eating grin on his face. “Steve, do you have a boy here?” 

He knew he should have started wearing converse. Phil knew it wasn’t his, plus the size was definitely too small. 

“ _ What _ ? Pffft, nooo!” He sighed. “He’s in my room.” 

“Ooh, who is he?” Phil’s eyes lit up. “Can we meet him?” 

“I don’t think we’re ready for that.”

Phil nodded. “He on the team?” 

“Are you going to keep interrogating me?” 

“That a yes?” 

“No!”

“Boys,” his mom said to get their attention. 

“Sarah, how about we leave Steve to do his own thing tonight? We can get dinner out somewhere,” Phil suggested to his mom.

Phil poked his side, his queue to say something. 

“Yeah, totally. I think that’s a great idea. We had a long game today. I was planning on going to bed early anyway,” Steve explained. 

His mom looked between them for a moment. “If you’re sure, Steve.” 

“Yeah!” He faked a yawn. “We can have dinner together tomorrow night.” 

Her gaze shifted to Phil. “Phil, don’t you have that—” 

He smiled at her softly. “I can cancel.” 

“Alright.” She came up to Steve, and he bent down so she could kiss his cheek. “Have a good night, Steve.” 

Phil and his mom headed to the door. “You, too. See you tomorrow.” He faked a yawn again, and Phil rolled his eyes. 

Once the door closed behind them, he ran to his bedroom. Bucky was lounging on his bed, in Steve’s sweatpants and one of his white tee-shirts. He was reading  _ The Magicians _ , the book Steve kept on his nightstand. He liked the way Bucky looked on his bed. He was relaxed like he was at home. Steve wanted to keep him there. 

“This book is pretty good,” Bucky said from behind the pages. 

“I’m enjoying it,” Steve said, flopping down on the bed next to him. 

Bucky turned his head, “The agreement was that you’d bring food.” Bucky nudged him with his foot. “You brought no food.” 

Steve shrugged. “My parents are gone, agreement is dissolved.” 

“So, you’re not gonna feed me?” 

Steve laughed. “Eat in or take out?” 

Bucky hummed. “I could go for some lo mein.” He put the book down next to him. 

Steve grabbed his phone and placed the order through an app. They had about half an hour before the takeout arrived. 

“I’m assuming the mood is dead and buried?” Steve asked, putting his phone on the nightstand. 

Bucky sighed sadly. “Your  _ parents  _ cock blocked us, so yeah, a little bit.” 

Steve turned on his side to face Bucky. “If it makes you feel any better, Phil did try to make up for it.” 

Bucky turned on his side, too. “A little. He seems really nice.” 

“I’d like you to meet him someday, and my mom.”

Bucky gave him a small smile. “I’d like that.” 

They were silent for a moment, quietly staring at each other with soft eyes.

Bucky was the one to break the silence. “I want to come out, but naturally, Pierce is a dick, and so are the owners. Pierce said if I did, he’d end my career.” He had dropped Steve’s gaze. 

“Your career with the Hydras or in baseball?” Steve asked gently. 

Bucky scoffed. “Probably both.” 

“That’s not fair,” Steve growled out. “You deserve to come out just like everyone else. He’s threatening you, so you stay on their shitty team.” He put a finger under Bucky’s chin, tilting his head up so Bucky would meet his gaze. “You’re an amazing baseball player, Bucky Barnes. Nobody is going to care if you’re into men. Don’t let that homophobic twat get in your head.” 

“Wow, you really know how to make a guy feel special. Do you talk to all your boyfriends that way?” 

“Oh, now we’re labeling our relationship? Let me just cancel that Grindr date,” Steve joked, and Bucky laughed, shoving at his shoulder. Steve took Bucky’s hand in his, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Even if whatever this is doesn’t work out between us, when you’re ready to come out, I’ll always be here for you.” 

Bucky grinned. “Thanks, Stevie.” 


	7. Chapter 7

They had another bad game against the Hydras. It was only a three game series, just three days, and then they had a day off. It shouldn’t have been a shit show. Maybe they all wanted it to be over because it meant a day to themselves. For it to be over quickly. 

All three games ended in extra innings because of ties they couldn’t break. Each game’s score was under four points. They were long, uneventful games. It felt like they played six games, rather than just three. They were all frustrated with themselves because they all knew they could do better. 

Fury yelled at them and told them so in the locker room before they packed up and went home for the night. Steve hadn't seen Fury that pissed since their other shit show of a game earlier in the season. This time he seemed like he was angrier, though, because they sucked. The last time was about their behavior, not their playing. Being told their playing was bad hurt more. 

He texted Bucky after Fury was done losing his shit on them. 

_ ‘I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted and upset. Want to just get together tomorrow?’  _

_ ‘I agree. Cooling off sounds like a good plan.’ _ Bucky sent back within seconds. 

On his way out, Steve was just about to call Bucky. He at least wanted to say goodnight, but before he could hit call, Bucky’s face appeared on his screen. 

“Hey,” Steve answered. “I was actually going to call you.” 

“Great minds and that horse shit, I guess.” Bucky chuckled humorlessly. 

“You get reamed out, too?” Steve asked. 

Bucky sighed. “Pierce said his grandmother could swing better and that I was the most shameful player out there tonight.” 

“I hate to break it to Pierce, but Rumlow is  _ always  _ the most shameful.” Then Steve kept talking because he’s an idiot. “Your swing was a little off, though.” 

“Wow. Fuck you, Rogers. Your pitching wasn’t exactly 110 percent either,” Bucky grumbled out. 

“Fuck you too, Barnes,” Steve said, offended, even though he knew it was true. 

“Shove your glove up your ass!” 

“You can do the same with your bat!” 

“Ugh!” They groaned at the same time before hanging up. 

Steve shoved his phone in his pocket, making his way to his car. He got in, turned the engine on, and blasted some music. He drove through the quiet streets of his city, turning the music down, notch by notch, until he got home. It was barely audible by the time he parked his car. 

He sighed, grabbing his bag and heading up to his apartment. 

It was too quiet and empty. 

He undressed as he made his way to the bathroom to shower, leaving a trail of clothes. He turned the warm water all the way up, relishing in the too hot water. He quickly washed away the frustrations of the night and the nights before. 

They at least won two of the games. 

He got out of the shower, drying off and changing into comfortable clothes. He got into bed and settled in, pulling his blankets around him. His bed was too cold, though. Too cold and too big. It wasn’t just tonight, though. It was every night Bucky wasn’t there. 

Ugh, he was so stupid for mentioning how Bucky played that night. He didn’t even mean to say it. It just tumbled out of his mouth. Bucky probably already knew his game was off. He didn’t need Steve bringing it up. Like Bucky throwing back at him. Steve didn’t need to hear it. He already knew, and he felt like shit for it. He let down his team and their fans. Bucky probably felt the same way. 

Steve tossed and turned all night. He couldn’t sleep.

*****

He woke up with his face smushed into his pillow, and his arm wrapped around another pillow. He extracted himself from it and got out of bed slowly. He rubbed his eyes as he made his way into the bathroom to do what he needed to. 

Still groggy from his lack of sleep, he lazily put on running clothes and laced up his shoes. He grabbed his headphones, setting out for the stairs. 

Steve didn’t know where he was running. He could go to the park or run by the river, but he wanted to see Bucky. He could’ve just texted him. Or he could just run to his hotel and show up unannounced. His tired brain thought the second idea was best.

By the time he got outside, he was a little more awake. At least, that’s what he thought until he ran into someone and knocked them to the ground. 

“Ugh, fuck,” he heard the person groan underneath. 

Steve scrambled to get up. “Shit, I am so—Bucky?” 

“You’re a ton of bricks, holy shit.” Bucky took his outstretched hand. 

Steve grabbed Bucky’s shirt, yanking him in for a kiss. He didn’t care who saw them.

He did pull away quickly, though, caring a little bit about who saw them. 

“I’m sorry,” Steve said, still keeping Bucky close. 

“I’m sorry too,” Bucky told him, his eyes darting around before stretching his neck up to kiss Steve briefly. 

“Can I get you breakfast?” Steve asked, wanting to hold out his hand for Bucky to take, but they’d already pushed it too far. 

“Only if we can have sex for lunch.” 

Steve laughed. “Deal.” 

He started leading them to a diner down the street.

“You look like shit, Rogers,” Bucky told him, a tired smirk on his lips. 

“So do you, Barnes.” Steve nudged him with his elbow. 

“Rough night?” 

Steve nodded. “Yeah, you?” 

Bucky nodded, his hand brushing against Steve’s. “How are you feeling now?” 

“Better,” Steve said, giving him a smile. “You?” 

Bucky’s smile matched his. “Better.” 

Steve longed to pull Bucky against his side or throw an arm over his shoulders and hold him close. Hold his hand while they walked down the street, anything to have some sort of skin contact with Bucky.

Once they got to the diner, they found a quiet booth in a secluded corner. Their waitress came quickly with a full pot of coffee, which they both gratefully accepted. They ordered while she was there, too. They both got eggs, sausage, and potatoes. 

After the waitress left, they both sipped their coffee. 

“So, out of curiosity, have you talked to your agent about coming out?” Steve asked. 

He had been thinking about it ever since Bucky mentioned wanting to come out, but unable to because of a dick manager and dick owners. He wanted to help Bucky come out if he could and if Bucky would let him. 

“No, I haven’t,” he said sadly. 

“Do they know?” Steve asked gently. 

Bucky laughed, throwing his head back and exposing his long, stubbled neck. Steve couldn’t help smiling at him. 

“Yeah, she knows,” he snickered out. “She figured it out before I did.” 

“Wait, your agent is a woman? That’s incredible!” 

Steve knew some agents were women, but not many players in the league had them. When Steve first started out, he tried getting Natasha Romanoff, but she wasn’t taking any clients at the time. Thankfully, Howard Stark eagerly volunteered himself. He still thought Tony had something to do with it. After Howard retired, he tried getting Romanoff again, but she still wasn’t taking clients.

Phil was his agent now, even though his career was sealed with the Avengers until he was ready to retire. 

“She’s definitely something,” Bucky chuckled. “She could probably kill a man a hundred different ways.” 

“She sounds terrifyingly beautiful,” Steve commented. 

“Ugh,” Bucky groaned. “I  _ wish  _ I had her cheekbones.” 

Steve raised an eyebrow at him. “Your cheekbones could literally cut diamonds, Buck.” 

He watched Bucky’s cheeks turn pink, but there was hunger in his eyes. “Yeah, well, you could bounce a quarter off your ass.”

Steve felt his cheeks, neck, and chest heat up. 

Their waitress interrupted their staredown, and they mostly ate in silence, except for the moans both of them purposely let slip at various moments. 

Steve felt the heat rising, the tension becoming thick between them. He knew they were staring intensely at each other, in public, and he didn’t care. He wanted Bucky. He needed him. The way Bucky was looking at him, he knew he wanted Steve too. 

They had finished most of their food. 

“You ready to get out of here?” Steve asked, getting his wallet out. 

“Hell, yes,” Bucky breathed out. 

“Awesome,” Steve said, tossing some bills on the table and standing up. He grabbed Bucky’s hand and led them out of the diner. 

*****

His bed was creaking, slamming against the wall rhythmically with each thrust of Bucky’s hips. 

“I think I should get a new bed,” Steve panted, gripping the headboard with one hand while the other worked over his cock.

“What?” Bucky asked, confusion in his voice, his hips starting to stutter. 

“Should I get a new bed frame?” Steve asked, his breathing short. 

Bucky stopped mid-thrust. “ _ What _ ?” 

Steve turned his head back to look at him. “Why’d you stop?” 

Bucky blinked, shaking his head. “My dick is in your ass, and you’re asking if you should get a new bed frame?” His expression changed to amusement, his lips splitting into a grin. He started laughing, the sound bouncing off the walls beautifully. 

“I just don’t want it to break while we’re in the middle of having sex,” Steve said, his breathing evening out slightly. 

“It’d be one hell of a story, though,” Bucky chuckled, starting to move his hips again. “Actually, this whole conversation will make a great story.”

“I’m glad you find it funny,” Steve moaned, Bucky hitting his prostate  _ just right _ .

“It’s hilarious, Stevie. Imagine having to explain to Tony or Sam why you replaced a perfectly good bed frame.” Bucky kept laughing, his hips picking up the pace all on their own.

“Oh god,” Steve groaned, half because of the thought of telling Sam or Tony and how much they would tease him for it. The other half because Bucky just kept moving—faster and harder and  _ deeper _ . He had to hold onto the headboard with both hands. 

The creaking got loudly, the shorter Bucky’s thrusts got, and the banging on the wall got louder, along with their moans. 

His orgasm caught him by surprise, a groan ripping from his throat. Bucky followed him a few thrusts later, collapsing on Steve’s back. It made Steve go flat on the bed with Bucky being a heavy, warm weight.

Eventually, Bucky rolled off of him. Steve had the pull the blankets around him. 

“Don’t be a blanket hog,” Bucky mumbled, burrowing himself under the blankets and cuddling up close to Steve. 

“Excuse you, you’re usually the one to steal the blankets,” Steve argued. 

“Get more blankets, Stevie.” 

“I will when it’s colder out.” 

“It already is cold.” 

Steve grabbed his phone. “It’s 60 degrees out.” 

Bucky wrapped his limbs around Steve, pulling the blankets closer to him. “Exactly.” 

Steve noticed the time on his phone. It was almost two in the afternoon. 

“Shit, isn’t your flight soon?” Steve asked, starting to get out of bed. 

Bucky’s grip tightened. “No, I’m going back tomorrow morning. I do have to go to my parents' place for dinner tonight, though. I need to leave here at like five.” 

“Do your parents live around here?” Steve asked, settling back in. 

“Yeah, they live like two blocks away. I grew up here,” Bucky admitted. 

Steve felt his eyebrows shoot up. “Shit, really?” 

Bucky nodded. 

“Huh,” Steve huffed out, processing the information. “How do your parents feel about you playing for the enemy?” 

Bucky laughed. “They hate it, but they’re glad I’m in the major leagues. They don’t want me to stay with the Hydras, though.” 

“What do you want?” 

He smiled sadly. “I don’t want to hide anymore.” 


	8. Chapter 8

He just went out on a run. His only intention was to get some exercise and stop at the coffee shop down the street from his apartment. He hadn’t planned on going for a half an hour walk after getting coffee or walking into an animal shelter. 

Or calling Bucky. 

He didn’t know what possessed him to call Bucky. His phone was in his hand already. Then he was bringing up Bucky’s number and hitting the call button. 

Bucky picked up after a few rings. “‘Ello?” 

“I want us to get a dog,” Steve blurted out. 

There was a pause on Bucky’s end and then, “What?” 

Oh god. 

He wanted the ground to swallow him whole. 

“Um, I mean,  _ I  _ want to get a dog. Me. Because I live alone,” he said lamely. 

“Where are you?” 

“An animal shelter?” 

Bucky snorted a laugh. “Did you forget where you are?” 

“No! I’m just not sure why I’m here or why I called you.” Steve ran a hand through his hair. 

“Well, why do you want a dog?” 

Steve sighed, his shoulders falling. “I’m tired of coming home to my empty apartment. I want to take care of something. I think it would be good to have responsibility.”

He did miss Bucky, but Bucky could take care of himself. A furry companion wouldn’t be a replacement for Bucky when he wasn’t there. Having Bucky there made him realize how lonely and lifeless his apartment was. He did have a small plant or two, but it wasn’t fulfilling enough. 

“That’s a good reason, and it seems like you want my opinion,” Bucky told him. 

“I do.” 

“Why, exactly?”

“Um, we hang out sometimes?” 

He wanted Bucky to have a say in the dog he chose, like it could be theirs in some way. 

Bucky hummed. “Well, let’s switch to a video call. Let me see some of those dogs.” 

When Bucky popped up on Steve’s screen, he was laying down in bed. 

“Shit,” Steve groaned, “I woke you up.” 

Bucky grinned. “I get to see dogs. It’s not a big deal.” 

Steve was led into the kennel by one of the volunteers. It smelled and sounded like dog. Some were barking, some were doing their dog thing, like washing or eating. He walked by plenty of dogs, but none seemed like they suited him. A lot of them were small dogs, yipping, and jumping at the gate. He wanted a medium-sized dog. 

He told Bucky that, too. 

“What about the one at the end?” Bucky suggested. ‘The very end.” 

Steve looked to the volunteer. She could hear Bucky. She gave Steve a questioning look when he went up to her at first. Steve didn’t know what to say, but thankfully, Bucky saved him. He gave her a charming smile and said he couldn’t trust his boyfriend to pick out a dog for them, but he was out of town, and Steve just  _ had  _ to go to the shelter so early. The woman ate it up.

She brought Steve to the dog Bucky was talking about. It was laying down flat, its paws in front and its head resting on its legs. As soon as they were in front of its crate, it sat up and dropped its mouth open like it was smiling at them. It was a chocolate brown color; tightly curled fur covered its body. The color reminded Steve of Bucky’s hair. It stepped forward, sticking its nose through the gate and nudging Steve’s hand. 

Steve knelt on the floor to be eye level with the dog. He offered it his palm, which it licked enthusiastically. He felt himself smile. 

“I think you found yourself a dog, Stevie.” Bucky’s voice made him switch back to the front-facing camera. 

Steve gave a small shrug. “You helped. Thank you.” 

Bucky was smiling at him. “Anytime, Stevie. Do you know what you want to call her?”

Steve gave him a questioning look. 

Bucky chuckled. “You were too busy falling in love with her to read her information.” 

“How much would you judge me if I named her Ruth?” 

Bucky snorted. “Like Babe Ruth? Nerd.” 

Steve rolled his eyes, turning his attention back to the dog in front of him. “What do you think of Ruth?” he asked her. 

She gave him a happy sounding bark and nudged his palm with her wet nose.

He went back to Bucky. “Ruth likes it, so suck it, Barnes.” 

Bucky smirked at him and bit his lip. Steve  _ knew  _ he wanted to say something, and Steve wanted him to, but he kept his comment to himself because they were in public with a witness. 

Steve turned the phone, so Ruth could see Bucky. “Say hi to Ruth.” 

“Hi, beautiful,” Bucky cooed at her. “You’re gorgeous, Ruth. I can’t wait to meet you.” 

Ruth licked Steve’s screen. 

“You’ve got dog slobber on your phone, Rogers.” 

Steve turned his phone back, grimacing. “Yeah, I’ll call you later? I’m sure I’ve got a ton of paperwork to fill out, and then I need to go to a pet store.” 

“Yeah, totally. Call me when you’ve got her settled. Bye, Stevie.” Bucky waved at him. 

“Bye, Buck. Love you,” Steve said, hanging up the video call. 

His smile fell. 

Oh. 

Oh no. 

No, no, no.

Oh god, he didn’t, but he  _ definitely _ did. 

He leaned his head against the gate. “Ruth, you will learn that I cannot keep my mouth shut.” 

She licked his face through the gate. 

He avoided his phone until he got home. He even avoided it after he got home. He got Ruth’s food and water dishes clean and filled for her. He scattered some toys around the apartment for her, and he put her dog bed near one of the heating vents. He also took one of his Avengers blankets and settled it in the bed. He placed a stuffed moose in there too. He felt like she should have something to cuddle when he wasn’t home. 

Finally, he checked his phone, his heart racing. He had a voicemail from Bucky. He raised the phone to his ear, trying to calm his chest by taking deep breaths. 

“Hey, you punk.” Bucky didn’t sound upset. It actually sounded like he was smiling. “I love you, too.” 

That was it. Steve got the automated voice telling him to press whatever button if he wanted to save or delete. He saved it. 

He texted Bucky a photo of him and Ruth. 


	9. Chapter 9

The weather was slowly getting colder. They started their games off sweating, and by the time Steve was back in the dugout, he was freezing because of the steady temperature drop. 

The Avengers were in Hydra territory for their playoff games. Steve wished they were in their own city, rub it in, even more, when they win, but dominating them in  _ their  _ city would be just as satisfying. The Avengers were first place in the league, but only by a handful of games. They had to beat the Hydras, and so did the other teams, honestly. 

Fury was thrilled with them, and so was Pepper, but they all knew Fury was going to be on their asses more than usual. It was expected. More was expected of them, the pressure to be beyond their best was present. They could handle it. Steve knew they could. They were ready, and the energy was there. 

They had to win at least three of their games against the Hydras, and they had already won two. 

Bucky helped him celebrate their win by having sex on Pierce’s desk. 

Steve met Bucky in the Hydra’s locker room, once everyone had left for the night. He gave Bucky a kiss in greeting, with every intention of just grabbing dinner and heading back to Bucky’s apartment. Then he started thinking about how much of dick Pierce was. 

_ “Pierce in his office?” Steve asked.  _

_ “I wouldn’t have texted you if he was,” Bucky shrugged, pulling a shirt over his head. “Why?”  _

_ Steve smirked and grabbed Bucky’s hand. “C’mon.”  _

They laughed all the way back to Bucky’s apartment, not caring that they  _ may  _ have left a mess on Pierce’s desk. Pierce would only blame a rogue security guard or probably even Tony, and Tony would gladly take the blame, especially if Steve told him it was actually him and Bucky. 

Ruth greeted them at the door. 

Well, she greeted Bucky at the door. She  _ loved  _ Bucky. When Bucky was around, Steve didn’t exist in her world, except when it came to cuddling. Somehow, the three of them managed to fit on Bucky’s couch. Bucky laid on top of Steve, while Ruth settled herself between them and the couch.

Steve would normally leave Ruth at home during away games, but part of him didn’t want to leave her home, and the other part of him knew he couldn’t come home smelling like Bucky. Ruth would pout sadly in her bed and glare at Steve, which made him feel guilty for letting Bucky leave or seeing Bucky without her. 

“I’m still surprised you didn’t leave her with your parents,” Bucky said, lifting a hand to scratch behind Ruth’s ear. 

“And have her upset with me for two days? It’s worth the six-hour drive.” 

“Maybe leave her my parents next time? Maybe she’ll like them more than me.” He felt Bucky shrug.

“Sure, I’ll just show up to your parents’ house unannounced, tell them I’m your secret boyfriend and ask them to watch my dog.” 

They finally had a discussion about their relationship. It was a few weeks after he got Ruth, after Steve’s brain to mouth filter decided to fail him. Bucky told Steve that he’d caught him off guard, pacing around his living room for five minutes, before realizing he felt the same way. Then they’d gone on a proper date, with under the table hand-holding, and they may have played footsies too. 

Bucky laughed. “My dad would just ask you to sign your baseball card.” 

“He does not have my baseball card.” 

Bucky snorted. “Oh, he does. He wants to frame it and put it on the wall, but my mom won’t let him.” 

“Oh my god,” Steve groaned. “So, can we just not do the meet the parents thing? Maybe skip it? We could wait until we get married.” 

“Or we could just wait until we have kids.” 

There was a quiet moment between them. 

“Is that something you would want?” Steve asked gently. 

“With you?” 

Steve shrugged. “Yeah, with me.” His heart was thundering in his chest. He was sure Bucky could hear it. 

Bucky lifted his head, a smile on his lips. “Absolutely.” 

Steve grinned back at him, tangling his hand in Bucky’s hair and pulling him down for a kiss. 

They broke apart when Ruth whined because they disturbed her. 

“How about we make a bet?” Bucky asked, a smirk on his lips. 

Steve felt his eyebrows go up. “OK?” 

“If the Avengers go to the World Series and win, I’ll come out.” 

“And what if we lose?” 

“I’ll give you a spectacular blow job for your efforts.” 

Steve laughed, disturbing Ruth once again. 

Bucky turned his attention towards her. “I know, Ruthy. I’m sorry your human keeps bothering you.” 

“Wow. Should I just leave you two alone then?” 

“No, you’re warm.” Bucky snuggled into him more. 


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Birthday Bucky Barnes!

They were in the sixth game of the World Series, they were playing against the X-Men, and it was the bottom of the ninth inning. The Avengers were in the lead 5-4. They’d won three of their five games. Steve’s heart was racing, his pulse hammering in his throat. If they won this game, it would be over and the World Series was theirs. 

Steve inhaled deeply, sucking in the cool air. He let it out the breath, tuning out the cheering stadium and putting it in the background. The only thing that existed was Tony’s waiting glove. 

He threw the ball. 

Scott Summers swung the bat. 

And he missed. 

The ball flew straight into Tony’s glove. 

That was three outs. 

_ They won _ . 

Steve felt the grin on his lips, and he watched Tony rip his mask off, tossing it away from him. They both ran to each, embracing when they met not far from home plate. The rest of the team joined them, all of them hugging each other in a huge mass on the field. Even Fury joined them. 

Bruce was suddenly on Tony’s back, a bottle of champagne in his hand. He kissed Tony’s cheek and dumped the contents of the bottle on everyone in reach. 

He wished he could share the moment with Bucky, pull him in for a congratulatory kiss and celebrate with him. 

For the time being, he celebrated with his team. He drank and relished in the champagne, let the happiness of winning wash over him. He embraced the cheers of excitement from his teammates and their fans. 

He would celebrate with Bucky over the weekend. 

*****

Steve couldn’t stop grinning. 

Part of him still couldn’t believe they’d won, but the other part of him clearly remembered the celebration on the field and then in the locker room. His clothes stuck to his skin and his hair stood up in all directions. He smelled like a brewery. 

He unlocked the door to his apartment in desperate need of a shower. He also needed to let Ruth out and feed her. He needed to feed himself, too. 

Steve opened the door, expecting Ruth to be at the door waiting or at least running up to him, but she wasn’t there. 

“Ruth?” he called into the apartment. 

He stepped through, dropping his duffle bag to the floor. She still didn’t come to him. 

“Ruth?” He tried again, trying not to let himself panic. 

Steve walked through to the living room, pausing when he saw Ruth lying on the couch with her head in Bucky’s lap. 

He felt his smile come back at full force. 

“Hey, World Series Champ,” Bucky greeted with a wide grin of his own.

“I thought you weren’t coming until the weekend.” 

Bucky shrugged. “Got done what I needed to early.” 

Steve went over to him, straddling his lap when Ruth moved her head due to Steve interrupting her time with Bucky. 

“And what was that exactly?” Steve asked, bumping his nose against Bucky’s. 

“When was the last time you checked Twitter?” 

Steve groaned. “Ugh, who’s canceled now?” 

Bucky laughed. “Nobody. Just check.” 

“Right now?” 

“Yes.” 

Steve leaned in to kiss him. “We can’t make out or have sex first?” 

“Just do it, Rogers.” 

Steve flopped on Bucky’s free side, pulling his phone out of his pocket. 

“You smell like a bar.” Bucky pointed out. 

“I could go shower, and you could join me?” 

“I know you’re not a huge fan of social media, but you won’t be upset. Promise.” 

Steve’s eyes narrowed. “Alright, but if I am upset, I’m fighting the President.” 

Bucky snorted. “I promise to help.” 

Steve typed in his password, revealing a photo of Bucky and Ruth at the park. 

He opened up his Twitter app. “Alright, what am I looking for?” 

Bucky rested his head on Steve’s shoulder. “Should be in your trending topics.”

The first thing he saw in his trending topics was the Avengers winning the World Series and various other topics related to the World Series, but the third on his list made him pause. 

Bucky was trending. 

Steve clicked on it. 

The top tweet was from Bucky. 

_ ‘I’m tired of hiding.’  _

There was a photo attached. Bucky was smiling brightly at the camera like he was laughing. He was wearing a white t-shirt with bold, rainbow lettering that read ‘I’m gay.’ 

Steve smiled, dropping his phone to take Bucky’s face in his hands and kiss him. 

“I’m so proud of you,” Steve mumbled against his lips. 

“Even if I’m currently unemployed?” Bucky half-whispered. 

Steve’s eyebrows shot up. “They sure move quickly.”

Bucky sighed. “My contract is up, and the season is over.” 

Steve wrapped an arm around Bucky’s shoulders. “Someone will sign you. They’d be stupid not to.” 

“Thanks, Stevie.” Bucky kissed his cheek.

“Buck?” 

“Yeah, Stevie?” 

“I want you here.”

Bucky gave him a confused look. “I am here?” 

“No, I mean, all the time. I want you to live here, at least until spring training starts.” 

“What if by some miracle the Avengers sign me?” 

Steve smiled. “Even better. You can stay all year.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There’s only one more chapter left!


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it! Thank you everyone for reading!

4 Years Later

He stood against the railing in the dugout, too anxious to sit down. 

The Avengers were in their fourth game of the playoffs against the Hydras. If they won, they would go to the World Series.

It was the top of the ninth inning, they had two outs, and Wilson had managed to steal second base. Bruce was making his way back to the dugout, his shoulders slumped. Tony gave him a small nod as he walked by before he made his way to home plate with a bat over his shoulder. 

Hammer was pitching, the asshole.

They all hated him, especially Bruce and Tony. They came out together, right after Bucky did, and Hammer had some awful things to say about them. When the season started up again, at the end of one of their games, Hammer just had to let everyone know his opinion on their relationship. Bruce was about to go after Hammer, but Tony stopped him and proceeded to make out with Bruce in front of him. They got a cheer out of their fans. 

Tony stood in the batter’s box, lifting the bat behind him and hitching up his elbow. He narrowed his eyes at Hammer. 

Hammer threw the ball with a sneer, catching everyone by surprise that he didn’t take forever to pitch. 

Tony took it in stride, swinging the bat, and took off running when the ball sailed high above everyone. He ran to first base and Sam ran to third, stopping there when someone had finally caught the ball. 

Steve’s thumb fiddled with the ring settled on his ring finger as Bucky made his way up to bat. 

After the Hydras, Bucky was signed to the Thunderbolts, a team from San Diego, for a year. It was a rough year for both of them. They hardly saw each other, and when they did, they were exhausted. At one point, they’d talked about breaking up, which led to the biggest fight they’d ever had. Breaking up was out of the question. 

The year was long, but they managed to get through it, using their frustrations to push themselves while they fought for a spot in the World Series. Neither of their teams made it, but they fought hard. 

Before the Thunderbolts could offer Bucky another year, the Avengers gave him an offer he couldn’t refuse. It was too much money and a three-year contract. Plus they would be in the same city and in the same apartment. Ruth was probably the most excited. 

They’d come out Bucky’s first summer on the team. The team knew right away because Sam had a big mouth, and he was upset that Steve never told him. Sam didn’t talk to him for a week unless he had to. Steve bought him dinner for two weeks and apologized profusely before Sam forgave him. 

So when Steve realized he was ready to marry Bucky, he immediately told Sam. 

Over a year ago, Steve told Sam that he was going to ask Bucky to marry him at the end of the season. He was going to take him on a much-needed vacation; he was thinking a quiet cabin in Canada. They both loved the city, but if they could escape into the woods for a weekend, they would be all over it. 

Sam did not tell Steve that Bucky was planning on asking Steve at their last game of the season. 

Steve was walking to the dugout after a successful open when Bucky stopped him. 

_ “Um, Buck?”  _

_ He watched as Bucky just smiled at him and sunk to his knee.  _

_ “I uh, don’t have a romantic speech planned, but I love you, and I love your dog—” _

_ “Ruth is our dog, Bucky.”  _

_ “Will you marry me, you punk?”  _

_ Steve could only smile at him. “You know, I was going to ask you when the season was over. I had a whole week planned, and you beat me to it.”  _

_ “That’s what you get for not telling me!” Sam yelled from the dugout.  _

_ “Shut up, Wilson!” Bucky yelled back.  _

_ Steve pulled Bucky up and kissed him. “Yeah, I’ll marry you, but I’m totally asking you after the season is over.”  _

_ “Do you want me to pretend to be surprised?” Bucky asked, an amused smile on his lips.  _

_ “Please?”  _

When he did finally propose to Bucky, he could barely contain his excitement. He knew Bucky would say yes, and he couldn’t wait. He was so excited that he asked Bucky the night they got there. They stayed in bed most of the week. 

They got married in May. It was just a small ceremony and reception. They had their parents, teammates, and friends there. Most of their friends were their teammates, so it made the guest list easier to get through. 

He watched as his husband swung the bat forcefully, determination in his eyes. The stadium was silent, everyone’s eyes on the ball as it soared beyond reach and out of the park. 

Everyone erupted in cheers, Sam, Tony, and Bucky all ran around the bases as Steve, and the rest of the team flooded out of the dugout. 

Steve met Bucky at home plate, pulling him in close and kissing him as Bruce dumped champagne all over them. 

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments fuel Steve's sexual tension.


End file.
